Cutwork (Needlecraft Mystery) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "For a while, Detective Sergeant Mike Malloy thought this was going to be another one of those screwy cases, the kind his amateur nemesis would..." (more)
Key Phrases: kloster block, buttonhole stitch, kinetic sculpture, Ian Masterson, Crewel World, Mickey Sinclair (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

After an artisan is murdered at the Excelsior, Minnesota, art fair, everyone is on pins and needles. It's up to needlework shop owner Betsy Devonshire to figure out who had designs on the dead designer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Needlecraft Mystery edition (January 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425193896
• ISBN-13: 978-0425193891
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #165,334 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous amateur sleuth tale, January 7, 2004

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In the small Minnesota town of Excelsior, everyone looks forward to the yearly Art on the Lake Crafts Fair. At this year's event, Betsy Devonshire, owner of Crewel World mans the hospitality booth. When she hears sirens and sees people heading toward a booth near her, she stays away from it but people quickly tell her that someone slashed the throat of the woodcarver Robert McFey.

It isn't long before the local police arrest sixteen-year-old Mickey Sinclair for the crime. Mickey's bloody fingerprint is found in the booth and money is found in his home. He denies being at the fair but other people have sees him there. Most townsfolk think he is a troubled person, but they don't believe he is a killer. After all the homicides Betsy has solved, the townsfolk want her to find the real killer so that Mickey's life isn't spent behind bars.

What's very interesting about CUTWORK is that the family, neighbors and friends all believe the suspect is capable of criminal acts but don't believe he is a killer so they band together to pressure Betsy into solving the crime. Betsy doesn't want anything to do with the case until she sees Mickey and believes that he might be innocent of this crime. CUTWORK is a fabulous amateur sleuth tales filled with red herrings and misdirection to prevent the reader from seeing who the killer turns out to be until the final stitch is sewn.

Harriet Klausner

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this one!, February 1, 2004

By	Sharon (Grove City, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This is my favorite Betsy Devonshire mystery after the debut, Crewel World. The mystery held strong until the very end. Although I was sure who did it, I was surprised at the reason behind it. I loved the surprise for Godwin. I learned alot about the fascinating history of needlework as well as owning a small business. My favorite though was the small exchange about algebra and geometry. It actually became a dinnertime discussion topic! I hope the next installment is as enjoyable as this one was.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost And Found!!!!, April 19, 2004

By	tweetykiss "Unpublished Writer......." (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

I have always liked Monica Ferris because she writes cozy mysteries which I get into as well. This is an excellent book for the art enthusiasts since it covers other types of artwork other than fabric art. Therefore this book would appeal to all kinds of readers. I don't know anything about pulling and cutting threads from a piece of fabric, but Ms. Ferris explains it very well when she has a character teach it in the shop. That is one of the things I like about Ms. Ferris. The reader does not have to be a fabric artist to enjoy her books. The techniques are all explained so well in her books. I have read all her books and they are so humorous and have a lot of twists. Ms. Ferris is also very kind to define all the terminology used in the fabric arts.

This is one book that expands into other aspects of the art world. It is very interesting. It is hard for the reader to peg down the culprit. I also like Betty Devonshire, the shop owner. Nobody can help but like her and Godwin as well. As the reader gets to read the books by Ms. Ferris, you get to know her characters so well that they become part of your lives. Her characters are also very unique people, you will be very enraptured with them. Also, you will anxiously wait for the next book to come out.

For those who have not yet read anything by Monica Ferris, you will enjoy reading this so much that you will want to begin from the beginning and read everything by her. For those who have read her other books, this will be just as entertaining if not better.